Sgt Alexander Blackman, also known as Marine A, is no murderer and acted in
moment of madness he wishes he could undo, his wife tells The Telegraph in
exclusive interview

The Royal Marine jailed for executing a wounded Taliban fighter is not a murderer and acted in a moment of madness that he wishes he could undo, his wife has said.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Claire Blackman said the life sentence given to her husband, Sgt Alexander Blackman, was too severe and that he could not be compared with a common killer in this country.

Sgt Blackman, who was previously known as Marine A until his anonymity was lifted, was jailed for a minimum of 10 years last week after being found guilty of killing the Afghan insurgent in a battlefield execution.

His case provoked an outpouring of public support with many people suggesting he should be shown clemency.

Speaking for the first time about her husband’s case, Mrs Blackman admitted that he should not have shot the man and that he was ashamed of having done so.

But she questioned whether it was possible for those in Britain to sit in judgment on her husband’s actions and highlighted the mental strain he was under during the tour.

Sgt Alexander and Claire Blackman on their wedding day (THE DAILY TELEGRAPH EXCLUSIVE)

Gen Sir Nick Houghton, the head of the Armed Forces, said that “murder is murder” and her husband had committed a “heinous crime”.

However, Mrs Blackman, 42, told The Telegraph: “He’s been convicted of murder but everything that defines Al points me and everyone who knows him in completely the opposite direction – he is not made that way.

“If you ask someone what murder is in this country they might say someone stabbing a little old lady in the high street.

“Death on active service in a war zone in somewhere like Afghanistan is, sadly, an everyday occurrence. I can’t really imagine the horror or the pressure those lads were under.”

On Friday night more than 41,000 people had signed a Downing Street petition calling for his immediate release.

Sgt Blackman was convicted by a seven-strong military board for the killing, which was inadvertently filmed on a helmet camera.

Clips showed him shooting the unnamed Taliban fighter in the chest at close range and telling his patrol to keep quiet because he had “broken the Geneva Convention”.

Sgt Alexander Blackman was previously known as Marine A until his anonymity was lifted

Mrs Blackman said: “He’s held his hands up. What he has not done in my eyes is commit murder. He genuinely thought, and I have absolutely no reason to disbelieve him, that that insurgent was already dead.

“He should not have discharged his weapon into him – it was the madness of the moment – and he sure as hell wished he hadn’t either but he is not a murderer.”

Sgt Blackman has been placed under special protection measures in jail amid fears he could face revenge attacks.

“I am sure Al would love to meet Dr Who, travel back in time and undo that moment,” Mrs Blackman said.

“He can’t undo it and he’s ashamed of it but I still don’t think it should have led to where we are now.”

Sgt Blackman’s lawyers have said they will appeal against his sentence.